Present athletic and jogging shoes are normally fabricated of soft, pliable, lightweight material which enables an individual to exercise without adding to the stress of the exercise through heavier, more rigid shoes. Prior shoes have, however, in some instances failed to provide the necessary support for various surfaces of the foot, specifically the heel, which can cause discomfort if not supported during exercise. Previous athletic shoes have also failed to adequately laterally stabilize the heel during exercise. In an effort to provide heal support and stabilization, previously developed jogging shoes have incorporated plastic heel counters, but such rigid counters do not conform to the surface of the wearer's heel. With such prior shoes, the wearer's heel will thus typically move up and down within the shoe rear as the wearer exercises, thereby contacting the back heel portion of the shoe and tending to abrade the skin of the heel.
It has been observed that most runners are rear foot strikers. Thus in the normal cycle of foot movement during running, the back of the athlete's heel will contact the ground first and thus the greatest amount of stress will be concentrated in the heel region. It is especially important, therefore, that the heel of the runner's foot be adequately supported and that it be stabilized against excessive movement, while not sliding within the shoe heel.